by Jane Jamison
She ignored the scowl Wilson’s question brought to Belinda’s face. “Just fine. In fact, they’re good to go.” It was their position to tell Paul and Destin that they wouldn’t be doing any scenes with any other women. They’d already told them that she was their exclusive sub and had asked him to keep it quiet. Then last night, they’d discussed it and had decided to tell the Casing brothers they’d help in any other way. But as Doms the only submissive they wanted was Eva Marie.
“Really? Then why haven’t they done any scenes with anyone else?”
She couldn’t lie, much less to Wilson who’d just stuck up for her. “I’m not at liberty to say.”
He laughed and motioned for the man at the end of the counter to hang on and he’d be there. “Go on. Get back to work and see if you can make someone else as happy as you are.”
“Will do.” She winked, keeping it hidden from Belinda. “And thanks.”
“No problem. Still, and I hate like hell to do this, but you’re on the schedule to lock up tonight.”
Her joy deflated in a heartbeat. “Oh, no. The guys are planning on leaving soon.” She felt bad, and yet kind of good, about adding, “You know. To get things set up at the house for a really romantic night.”
“I’m sorry. You could try and get someone to cover for you, but if I remember right, Paul chose you because everyone else is going to the barbecue in town.”
She’d forgotten about the local festival. Not that she’d trade a romantic night with her men for a small town festival, but others loved the event and planned for it for months. Lining up available babysitters in a town as small as Pleasure was a real challenge. “Oh, shoot. But you know what? That’s okay. Who knows? Maybe they’ll come up with a surprise for me if I hang back and let them go on.”
“Are you sure? I could try asking someone else.”
“No, don’t. It’s okay.” The smile was back on her face. “Besides, we’re going to have lots of wonderful nights ahead of us and this is only a slight delay anyway. I’ll let Gage and William know.”
Belinda had remained quiet while they spoke, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t still going to try and put one over on her. “Eva Marie, I really am happy for you.”
She’d have to work with the woman so it was better not to make things any worse than they already were. “Thanks.” Giving Wilson a look that relayed her real feelings, she turned and headed for her men.
She couldn’t resist hugging William from behind. “Hey, there, handsome.”
“Darlin’, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m the handsome one.” Gage eased in closer.
William drew her around him, never letting go of her. “Are you about ready to get out of here?”
“About that.” She hated to tell them, but she had no choice. She wasn’t about to shirk her duty. “I’ve got to stay and lock up.”
Gage glared at Paul in a joking way. “Find someone else.”
“What he means is that he’ll kick the shit out of me if I don’t find someone to take your place.”
“Gage!”
“I didn’t realize it was supposed to be a special night for you.” Paul shoved his hands into his pockets and gave her a searching look. “And it just hit me. I hope I didn’t spoil any surprises by mentioning it.”
“I don’t think so.” But then, did she know everything they had planned? “He didn’t. Did he, William?”
“Every night is special whenever we’re with you.”
My thought exactly.
“Holy hell, my brother needs his own romantic comedy. I’d give him more shit about it, except what he said is the truth.”
“Look, why don’t I stay and close up? After all, I am an owner.”
“That’s really nice of you, Paul, but don’t you have a date with Georgia?”
“Yeah, I do. But we’re like old married folks.”
“Don’t go letting Georgia hear you. She’ll skin your hide. Besides, I heard her telling Wilson about your plans earlier. No, she’s really excited so I’m not going to ruin it for her. I’ll stay and close up. William and Gage can pick me up later.” She’d give them more than a hint and hope it took. “After they’ve gotten their place all fixed up and ready for me.”
“Uh-oh, man. I think we’d better start planning.”
William squeezed her tighter, giving her a sizzle of excitement she hoped would be the first of many she’d get that night.
“Just don’t forget to pick me up at closing time.”
“Darlin’, we’d never forget you.”
* * * *
Eva Marie checked the private rooms one more time. Closing up was a big responsibility and she wanted to make sure she did it right. She’d already turned off all the lights in the main room and would shut the hallway lights down as soon as she locked the supply room and left through the back door.
She couldn’t keep her mind off tonight. Although Gage and William still hadn’t said they loved her, they’d talked enough for her to know how much they cared. They’d already decided they’d keep their current jobs and, once they’d saved enough money, they’d buy their own ranch and help her open up her dress shop. Until then, she’d give up the rental house and move into their house. It only made sense since she spent most of her free time there.
Humming, she peeked into the last room, then headed for the supply room. She couldn’t imagine her life getting any better, and yet, the more they talked about their plans, the brighter her future became.
They should be here soon. I’d better hurry and get outside to wait for them.
Once she checked in the supply room, she’d be ready to open the back door and set the alarm. She pushed the door wide, then stepped inside to straighten up a few items that had gotten knocked to the floor.
“Eva Marie.”
Whirling around, she came face to face with Belinda. “What are you doing here? I thought I saw you leave an hour ago.” Had she been lurking behind the door?
By the time she lifted her arms to block Belinda’s blow, it was too late.
* * * *
“Hurry up, man. We’re going to be late.” Gage set the wineglasses on the counter along with two bottles of Eva Marie’s favorite Zinfandel. The beer he preferred was already in the refrigerator.
“Keep your pants on.” William walked around the living room of their small rental house. “Damn, I wish we could give her a nicer home.”
“We will. In time.” If they could’ve afforded it, they would’ve rented a mansion for her. “Do you think she got suspicious?”
“About Georgia stopping by to light the candles and bringing us food that’s eatable? Naw. She knows we’re planning a romantic night, but I doubt she knows the rest of it.”
Neither one of them could cook anything they would’ve considered decent enough for human consumption, so they’d asked Georgia to come up with a meal. She was happy to help them and couldn’t wait to test out her new culinary skills.
As for the other? They were ready to ask Eva Marie a very important question.
“You told her no fish, right? Eva Marie hates fish.”
William snatched up his cowboy hat, then slanted his head toward the front door. “I swear, man, you’re more nervous than a pimply faced kid on his first date. Still, it’s nice to see you excited for once.”
Gage hid his exuberance under a scowl, then followed him out the front door. “Don’t go getting all girlie on me again. Save it for Eva Marie.”
* * * *
“Wake up, slut.”
Her mind didn’t want to work. Except for the pain radiating through her jaw and into her forehead, she didn’t feel anything. A few seconds later, however, she felt far too much. Pain hit her from her head down to her bottom as she sat hunched up, her knees to her chest against a large metal shelving unit holding many of the club’s supplies.
Eva Marie struggled against the duct tape binding her arms to her sides. More pieces of it covered her mouth and kept her ankles together. She moaned, t
hen tried to scream, but couldn’t make much of a sound.
“Don’t even try. No one’s here but just us girls anyway.” Belinda squatted down in front of her. “Sweet I’m-too-good-to-do-a-scene Eva Marie. All tied up and no way to run.” She took her by the chin and jerked her head higher. “You’re wondering why I’m doing this, aren’t you? No, no. Don’t try to talk. It’ll just waste your strength for what comes later.”
Belinda straightened up and kicked at her legs. Eva Marie cried out, but the sound was again muffled.
“Fuck that. I have to hand it to you. You knew what you were doing. Playing all Miss Perfect and Can’t Fuck Me until the two best guys to ever hit this town showed up. And damned if they didn’t fall for your sweet-ass routine, hook, line, and sinker.”
She could do nothing more than glare at Belinda. Her eyes sparkled with anger and…joy.
“I can just see the question running through your head. Why am I doing this? Why am I trussing you up like a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner?” She knelt down again and thrust a finger in her face. “I’ll tell you why. Because I’m fucking tired of everyone else getting the man. First Georgia comes out of nowhere and claims Paul and Destin. After I tried for more than a year to get them to take me as their exclusive sub. But okay. I got over it. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Be the nice girl and wish everyone good luck.”
She stood up again, as though she couldn’t keep from moving. Waving her arms around, she let loose, venting to Eva Marie. “Okay, so I regrouped and tried again. There was Bill Moyer and his cousin. But, oh, no. They couldn’t hang with a girl who worked at a BDSM club. What would their churchgoing mother think? Never mind that they’ve fucked everything with a pussy.”
Eva Marie hadn’t known Bill or his cousin well, but she remembered the stir it had caused when Belinda had asked them to be her Doms. They’d turned her down, right there on stage for everyone to witness.
“And then, of course, there was Hank and Ron. I came on to them, too. Did you know that? But, oh, no, they had to be Carly’s heroes and come riding in to save the day. Can you believe that shit? They chose that scrawny college girl over a woman like me?” She skimmed her hands along her body, showing off her curves.
Eva Marie looked around her as much as she could without drawing Belinda’s attention. Was there a knife she could reach? Yet even if she got hold of it, she’d never be able to move her arms enough to cut herself free. The only thing she could do was to hope William and Gage would arrive sooner than later.
“After that, I tried getting with a few other men, but I’ve got to tell you, girlfriend, the whole thing got me downright depressed. So you know what I did? I went to see a shrink in Amarillo. Yeah, I know. Me of all people. Several hundred dollars later and she didn’t help me one damn bit. You know what she said? She told me to do what everyone else had already told me to do. Just suck it up and get over it.” She formed air quotes and said, “‘You’re going to find the man who’s meant for you.’ Yeah, right. Like that fairy tale’s ever going to come true.”
Eva Marie pushed backward and felt the shelving wobble. What would happen if she pushed too hard? Could she protect herself from the falling supplies and hope Belinda wouldn’t have time to take cover? She rocked back again, testing her theory.
“Don’t even think about it, bitch.” Belinda gave her another small kick. “You don’t want to get trapped in here. You know. In case something really bad happens, like the place catching on fire.”
On fire? Eva Marie sucked in a breath. A gasoline can sat in the corner of the room with matches on the shelf above her.
Oh, please God. Don’t let her burn me alive.
“And don’t forget Owen and Ryce Killian. Man, but they’re hot. Yet, once again, they weren’t hot for me. I tried to get them to see what they were missing. Still, even after they learned about Jewel taking photos of the members, they still stuck with her. What the hell is wrong with all the men in this town?” She dragged her fingers through her hair, shoving it away from her face.
Calm down. You won’t get out of this if you keep panicking.
But staying calm was easier said than done. Especially now that Belinda had picked up the matchbox and was tossing it from one hand to the other.
“William and Gage were the last straw.” She whirled around to face Eva Marie again. “This is how hard up I got after they turned me down. I slept with that old fart Bob just because he wanted you and couldn’t have you. How fucked up is that?”
She gripped the matchbox and knelt for the third time. Her face was a mask of torment, confusion, and hatred. “I don’t get it. Why won’t anyone fall in love with me? I’m a good person.” She laughed, the sound strained to the point of breaking. “Or at least, I used to be. But nice girls finish last and I got tired of being last.”
Eva Marie moaned, putting all her plea into it. If she could appeal to the woman Belinda used to be, maybe she could convince her to turn her loose. For a moment, just for a moment, she thought she’d succeeded.
Belinda seemed to calm down, the stress in her features relaxing. “I just don’t get it. I would’ve been a great submissive for any of these men. I’ve done everything anyone asked of me. Been anything they wanted me to be.”
Sadness enveloped her, enough so that Eva Marie felt sorry for her. But then, the old, likable Belinda disappeared.
“Well, then, let’s get on with it. By the time you’re nothing but a pile of ashes, I’ll already be at the festival, letting people see me and be my alibi. And once the ranch hands put out the flames, the whole town will show up. Including me.” She pretended to wipe away a tear. “Poor William and Gage will need someone to comfort them. Who better than me?”
Eva Marie let out another muffled shout as Belinda took hold of the gas can and unscrewed the lid. “If things had turned out differently, you and I might have become best friends.” She shrugged. “Oh, well, I’ve got enough friends.”
Lifting the gas can, she opened the door and stepped into the hall. “I should just pour the gas all over you, but then you’d die way too fast. I’d rather think of you, locked away, as the flames and smoke grow closer and closer. Won’t that be fun? Either way, no one will ever reach you in time.” She wiggled her fingers in a good-bye wave. “See you in hell, Eva Marie.”
Eva Marie screamed as hard and as long as she could, burning the sound into her throat.
Chapter Nine
“What’s Belinda doing here?” William threw the gearshift into park. Belinda had just exited the club and was hurrying toward her car.
“Beats me. Maybe she stayed to help Eva Marie close up.” Gage slid out of the passenger side of the truck and started striding toward her.
“Yeah, makes sense. But then why didn’t Eva Marie ask her to do it and come home with us?” Something seemed off. Belinda appeared nervous and in a big hurry.
“Hey, Belinda, where’s the fire?” Gage lifted his hand in greeting.
Belinda stopped, then started walking again, albeit at a slower pace. “No fire. Just heading out. I’ll see you guys tomorrow. Y’all have fun tonight.”
“Hold up.” William took her by the arm. “Is Eva Marie about done closing up?”
Belinda didn’t look right. Not only was she nervous as hell, she had a wild glint in her eyes. “I, uh, didn’t see her.”
“What do you mean you didn’t see her? How could you have missed her?” He checked with Gage. His worried expression bore into him.
“Fuck. Is that smoke?” William turned her arm loose long enough to point toward the smoke coming out a window farther down the wall, closer to the front of the building.
Belinda lurched away, but not before he snagged her and whirled her around to face them. “What the hell’s going on?”
She started crying, then pointed back at the building. “He said he’d kill me. I swear I was going to get farther away and call the sheriff. Bob set the place on fire to get back at Paul for cancelling his membership.”
“Is Eva Marie inside?”
She froze like a deer caught in headlights. “I–I don’t know. I told you. I didn’t see her.”
“She was supposed to close up. How could you have missed her?”
“I don’t know.” Terror was in her eyes as her gaze darted to her car and back. “Let me go. I don’t know anything.”
Something was wrong. His gut twisted, telling him she was lying. Belinda jerked away from him and ran. He started to catch her, to make her explain, but he had to make a choice. He could either run after Belinda or go and find Eva Marie. The choice was easy to make.
Fear set into William, spurring him into a dead run toward the back door. “Belinda, call the bunk house and get them down here. Then call Paul and Destin to round up the fire department.” The volunteer firefighters for the surrounding small towns would get there as fast as they could. Most of them were probably at the festival along with everyone else.
Gage was at his side by the time he reached the back door. “Damn it. I didn’t bring my keys.”
“Fuck. I didn’t, either.”
They took one look at each other and knew what they had to do. Stepping back, William counted to three and put all his strength into his kick. They struck the door at the same time, breaking it away from its hinges. Gage dashed inside as he turned back to see if Belinda was making those calls and couldn’t find her. Her car was gone. Was she calling as she drove? Or had she run off?
“William!”
He rushed into the smoke-filled hallway. Pulling his shirt up to cover his mouth and nose, he snagged Gage’s arm before he went farther inside. “There’s a hose in the supply room.”
“Eva Marie! Where are you?”
They were in the hallway near the room but, in the black smoke that was getting thicker by the second, it could’ve been a mile. He stuck out his hand, guessing at where the door was, and got lucky. Gage was by his side as he turned the doorknob, thankful that it was still cool, and shoved it open.
